Damper for pianos



(No Model.)

W. H. IVERS.

DAMPER POR PIANUS. No. 392,270. Patented Nov. 6, 1888.

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NITED Srnrns Parenti* WILLIAM H. IVERS, OF DEDHAM, ASSIGNOR TO THE IVERS & POND PIANO CO., OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

AMPER FOR MANOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,270, dated November G, 1888.

Application tiled August 2;?, 1888.

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. Ivens, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ded ham, in the county of Norfolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dampers for Pianos; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the 1o art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which `form a part of this specification.

My invent-ion relates to an attachment for pianos, termed a (lamper.7 The object of said dampers is to deaden or lessen the volume of the tone of the instrument to such a degree as to render the tones inaudible at a 2o short distance, and thereby prevent wear of the hammers, as also the annoyance to others in the vicinity,which would ordinarily result from continuouspracticing when such a device is not employed.

My invention relates not only to improvements in the construction of'a damperbar by which it is rendered adjustable to obviate any sag'cr deviation from the horizontal, but, further,in the mode of mounting it, whereby the 3o same may be readily removed,if sc desired.

The drawings represent, in Figure 1,a plan of a damper applied to a piano, Fig. 2, a front elevation, Fig. 3, a crosssection-oi` the same. Fig. 4 is a crosssection showing the relations of the strings and damper and the mode of operating the latter.

In said drawings, 2 2 represent the ends of an upright piano, for which this damper is more especially adapted. The bass strings are .1ro shown at 3, the treble at fi, the bridge at 5,

and hammers at 6.

This damper belongs te that class which ordinarily have been composed of a bar ot' wood, to which has been secured an apron of felt or analogous material. This damper-bar operates to carry the apron into the path of the hammers and interpose it between the latter and the strings. No direct contact ofthe ham-` mers with the strings occurs, but the vibra-V tions of the strings are simply lessened in quantity or deadened in contradistinction to that class terme( mute-bar dampers, wherein the weight ofthe damper almost, if not quite entirely, stops the vibrations.

This invention, in substance, consists in the manner of constructing the damper shown at 7. This is composed, primarily, ofalong bar,

S, which extends the entire length of the instrument, pivotally mounted, as hereinafter described. Preferably this bar is of wood or 6o similar material, for convenience iu securing the apron 9, so called, thereto, which is generally fastened to the bar by glue or other adhesive compound, and hangs vertically therefrom. To prevent this rod from sagging, or to remedy any twist or departure from a straight line, I have secured and longitudinally aligned along said dain1 er-baraserics ofscrew-eyes,l0. Through these eyes are passed a metallic rod, l2,preferably tubular. Thustheinherentsti- 7o ness ofthe meta-l serves to prevent any sag or deviation from the horizontal of the wooden bar S, with its pendent apron, while if any adjustment is required the rod is removed,the screw-eye at the spot to be adjusted is set in or out, when the rod is replaced. The bar 8 is thus drawn inwardly or thrust outwardly, according to the movement of the screw eye or eyes, which may have been changed to produce such adjustment.

To render the above device operative or in operative, the ends of the metallic rod are secured upon the upper free ends of twin rockerarms 13, afiixed on pins 14, onein each end 2 of the piano-case. The lower extremity 85 of one of said rocker-arms is secured to an actuating puslrrod, l5, furnished with aknob and operatingafter the manner otorgan-stops, sliding horizontally through a bearing-block, also upon the end of the piano. Thus in the 9o event of removal ot' the damper T the pivoted pins li let are withdrawn, when the entire attachment may be lifted out.

In Fig. l it will be seen that the bar S is cut away in that portion 16 adjacent to the bass- 95 strings, in order to bring the apron equidistant from both sets of strings 3 3, et l, and thereby render the function of the damper the same at all points and mulle the tones equally.

It will be seen that il' the push-bar l5 be roo thrustinwardly the damper 7 will be rendered inoperative, while a pull outwardly will rock fi 392,270 v the arms 13 and cause the apron to drop and intervene between the hammers and their cooperating strings, lessening the amount of tone and saving wear of the hammers by striking the strings. No weight is brought upon the latter, and they are free to vibrate. Such vibrations are, however, very slight, since the force of the hammersis almost entirely stopped by the intervention of the apron. W'ith this style of damper the tones are merely modified in strength, thus giving the performer the advantage of hearing the musical consonance of the strings, which is of great advantage in playing. This is not accomplished in a mutebar damper, where the Weight of the latter cheeks the vibrations.

It is to be understood that this damper is to he used independently of the ordinary loud and soft pedal attachments, both of which can he used with effect in connection with this.

"What l desire to claim is 1. A damper for pianos, composed of a wooden bar,a metallic rod aligned thcreabove, a series of screw-eyes by which the wooden bar is adj ustabl y connected with and supported by said rod, and a pendent apron secured it said bar, the entirety adapted to be operated to cause the apron to be interposed between the strings and the hammers, substantially as herein described.

2. A movable damper composed of a bar,8, its adjusting-screws 10, the Iiexible apron 9, and the rod 12,by which it is supported, combined with the rocker-arms 13 13, pivoted in the pianoease, and their actuating push-rod 15, substantially as specified.

3. The combination, with the rocker-arms 13, their actuating push-rod 15, and the metallic rod 12, ofthe dampenbar 8, out away at 16, adjacent to the strings 3 3, its adjusting screw-eyes 10, and the iexible pendent apron 9, all for purposes herein set forth and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

W'ILLlAllI Il. IVERS.

Witnesses:

FRANoIs C. Srnizwoon, Il. E. LODGE. 

